Battle in the Phoenix's Nest
by Arish Mudra Rakshas
Summary: Based in the summer holidays after the 5th year of Hermione and Ron. This story recounts an attack on the Headquarters of the Order by the Death eaters. Slight character death, because many Death eaters are killed. Action-packed, long duels. Enjoy!
1. The Empty House

_A/N: The story is set with the conditions given in my other story, Battle of the Enchanted Prison. Although I don't see any urgent need to read it, you might have to make some assumptions that contradict Rowling's version. Happy Reading!_

**CHAPTER I – THE EMPTY HOUSE**

The house was empty, except for six people. Actually, empty except for five children and one woman.

The house was quieter than it had ever been since its heir had (reluctantly) returned to inhabit it. Most of the Order of the Phoenix (all except those who were at work), who actually used the house as Headquarters, had gone with Albus Dumbledore to some mysterious place. All, that is, albeit Molly Weasley.

The five children in the house were Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, Ginny Weasley and Luna Lovegood. They were all getting seriously bored.

'Let's go out for a walk,' suggested Ron.

'_Ron_! We can't! Already I'm nervous at the thought that the only one from the Order is your mother, there is no need to freak me out more! Headquarters ideally have ample protection. I don't know why Dumbledore left the house empty. You-know-who could be undoing the Protective enchantments even as I speak!' replied Hermione.

'OK, OK, don't fret. It was just a suggestion,' said Ron.

'Let's atleast look around the house a bit. We weren't even here last year and I really want to see how an ancient Pureblood family kept their house,' said Luna.

Hermione found herself outvoted four to one, even though she had been about to support the suggestion.

'OK, I NEVER SAID NO!' she finally shouted them into silence.

* * *

><p>Half an hour later, Molly had just finished cooking dinner. '<em>I wonder when they'll be back,'<em> she thought. Looking out of the window, she had a strange feeling. Something was not quite right tonight. The usual scene had changed somehow, it was less obscure.

'CHILDREN, DO YOU WANT DINNER NOW OR WILL YOU EAT WITH ARTHUR?' she called out, apparently to the house.

'LATER, MUM!' was the reply.

'Oh these children,' Molly chuckled as she returned to cleaning the kitchen.

* * *

><p>Neville was looking out of the bedroom window. After an hour of exploring, all five of them were back in the bedroom, awaiting the Order's return. They were still very bored, so Ron and Ginny were having a fierce match of wizard chess, while Hermione and Luna discussed the general problems at Hogwarts. After all, Hermione was aiming for the Head Girl badge.<p>

Only Neville had found nothing to do. But he had a feeling that something was getting ready to snap them out of their boredom. And it was an ardent feeling.


	2. Unexpected Visitors

**CHAPTER II – UNEXPECTED VISITORS**

'Um... Ron?' Neville said nervously.

'Yes Neville?' said Ron absently.

'Come and have a look at this.'

'What?' said Ginny as the four reached the window.

'Can't you see it?' Neville asked. Consequently, Hermione gasped.

'Mrs. Weasley!' she shouted as she ran out of the room.

'What does this mean, Neville?' asked Luna.

'They have found us. Or atleast, roughly._ And they are coming.'_

As one, all of them ran downstairs to Molly. For out of the window, in the sky, was a giant green skull, glowing faintly, with a serpent coming out of its mouth. It was an impressive sight, with thunder prancing around it. As well as black, flying streams of smoke.

* * *

><p>Before Hermione had finished, Molly Weasley had taken out her wand and steadied herself. She reached out for the nearest window, and glanced out of it. Sure enough, black streams of smoke were landing on the road in front, and resolving into fierce looking people. People wearing green-and-black cloaks, and apparently searching for something. Maybe signs of Magic.<p>

'Hurry,' said Molly, 'Get the doors and windows. We need them locked. Small comfort, but still.'

'I know an even better spell,' said Hermione.

'Good, my dear. I'll contact the Order. Go!'

Hermione at once ran into the entrance hallway. As the others watched, she steadied herself and raised her wand. With a single wave and a click, a ball of royal blue light crashed onto the door. With another _click_, the door was surrounded by a layer of blue sparks.

Without a word, Hermione ran up the staircase. Stopping on the middle floor, she raised her wand again and –

'What are you doing?' interrupted Ron.

'Ronald Weasley, shut up and let me focus!' snapped Hermione with a look so dangerous, that Ron did shut up.

With frightening grimness, Hermione flicked her wand, producing dozens of royal blue balls of Magic, each of which crashed into a door or window and surrounded it, locking it.

'Now, only I can open these doors and windows. If I die,' Ron and Ginny opened their mouths but Hermione continued, 'which, by the way, is not impossible, only Dumbledore will be able to open them.' With this, she waved her wand in a single flourish, pronouncing Dumbledore's name. Consequently, the blue sparks were joined by red ones.

Suddenly, one of the windows was hit by a spell, scaring them all. The glass remained intact, but the spell flew through it as if the window never existed. 'Sorry, this charm I placed is only for living things, and spells aren't actually living, so I can't keep them out!' Hermione apologized as she neutralized the stray spell.

'Something is better than nothing,' said Molly Weasley as she kissed Hermione on the right cheek. 'You are a great witch, my dear.'

'Mum, get to the point!' said Ginny.

'Oh yes. I have sent a Patronus to the Order,' her tone changed, as did her expression. 'Until they arrive, we're on our own.'

'So, all we need top do is guard the windows. Sounds easy, not at all as if we are surrounded by Death Eaters,' said Luna in her usual dreamy tone.


	3. Seizing of a House

**CHAPTER III – SEIZING OF A HOUSE**

The Death Eaters, apparently, had discovered this small loophole. All over the house, spells were hitting everything, even though the Dark forces had not even entered yet.

Every minute, Molly's profile was changing. Her usually warm and cosy aura had changed to one displaying extreme courage and power.

Everywhere in the house, there was a state of utter confusion. Spells were destroying anything they came into contact with. If you needed to walk down a corridor, you would be braving facing at least ten things blasting apart in your face.

Hermione, who knew the most number of counterspells, ran around the house. Meanwhile, Neville, Ginny, Luna and Ron had positioned themselves at dangerous points – the windows themselves. They crouched under them and waited for a break in the inward flow of spells. That is when they sent a few good spells back. Occasionally, they were greeted with a scream or a fall.

But Neville had been hit straight in the arm by a Reductor Curse as he had been getting up for another attack. Even after Molly had hurriedly healed him, he felt very dizzy, and moreover there was a seam at the place where his arm had disconnected and then reconnected with his body. Luna, meanwhile, had been almost hit by an unknown, more sinister curse. She had used the Protego spell just a minute late, and although most of the effect was neutralized, she had several wounds and gashes.

Hermione was a remarkable sight. She darted in between advancing spells with supreme indifference, turning back to simply wave her wand and vanish or neutralize them.

Molly Weasley too was using Magic to the fullest. She moved from room to room, repairing anything she saw, wandlessly and nonverbally. She pointed her wand at any stray spell she saw and simply gave it a thrust, dissolving even the most sinister of spells to bright, colorful sparks.

As she reached the drawing room, she saw the five children oddly gathered there, looking intently on the opposite wall. Molly saw it too; the wall was shaking: the Death Eaters had taken to gaining entrance to the house.

'Hermione, doesn't your spell work for walls too?' asked Ron.

'No,' replied Hermione.

'Bloody hell, what will we do now?'

'Face them courageously, what else?' said Molly bravely.

Even as they looked, a green-and-red light pierced through the wall, and crept to all corners of it. Molly pushed the children behind her; she knew what was happening. She had seen this spell the night Gideon and Fabian had been attacked in their house.

_BANG._

The wall was blasted apart just as Molly raised her wand; cloaked figures were smirking and stepping inside. Debris flew through the air everywhere, but Molly's sphere of Magic that had enclosed the six people just in time turned all approaching debris to dust.

Through the dust, they could see the advancing figures. The six people were in grave danger, and in serious need of help.


	4. Fighting a Lost Battle

_A/N: This is where the actual action starts. And I suppose this chapter is the longest in the story. I hope you'll be able to imagine the situation and feel the thrill I felt while writing this part. Happy Reading!_

**CHAPTER IV – FIGHTING A LOST BATTLE**

As if reading each other's thoughts, Molly grabbed Ginny, Hermione grabbed Luna, and Ron grabbed Neville. All six of them turned on the spot and transformed into six bright-white smoky flying figures.

In pairs they departed: Molly and Ginny hurrying over to the kitchen; Ron and Neville flying over to the top floor; and Luna and Hermione trying to reach the basement. But due to just a few seconds' delay, Hermione and Luna were currently being chased by atleast ten black figures, wisps of smoke that were pursuing them at high speed.

Luna held on to Hermione and let her do the steering; to avoid the oncoming spells, they turned at every two meters. Spells collided or crashed into everything behind the two. They were in a real fix.

In retaliation, Hermione and Luna sent spells at incredible speed towards their attackers. But their enemies were good too. Moreover, due to all the twists and turns, the two could attack only once in a while. And it was very difficult to aim too.

After a long while, Luna got their first target. But Hermione heard three screams. Realizing something, she turned, sending another spell at the nearest Death Eater, immobilizing him. At the end of the hallway, she saw two other figures dueling the flying Death Eaters. Ron and Neville.

At once, Hermione and Luna did a double-take and flew in-between the Death Eaters, sending spells to all directions. They materialized into human forms besides Ron and Neville and struck up vigorous duels.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Ginny watched as her mother unleashed yet unseen amounts of Magic to protect her daughter. Molly had already defeated three of the Death Eaters, and was currently fighting a particularly difficult one as Ginny danced around her, charming things to stop the oncoming forces and deflect them for some time. Frustrated at the number of Death Eaters, she resorted to direct dueling, and stepped into a duel with a fierce Death Eater.<p>

Half an hour later, the two were fighting the last Death Eater left. Together, they struck him with two spells each, thus incapacitating him. At once, Ginny ran up to her mother and hugged her. 'Oh Mum, I never knew you were such a tiger!' Ginny said as she embraced the amazingly powerful witch. 'After all, my dear, I was tutored by Uncles Gideon and Fabian. They were the best wizards in the Order after Moody and Albus in their time.'

'Mum, look out!' Ginny shouted suddenly as another Death Eater materialized behind her mother and raised his wand.

Pushing her mother, she sent a spell at the Death eater but was herself hit by a sinister-looking spell. Slowly, she felt dizzy, and even as her mother shouted a spell to _behead_ the Death eater, Ginny fell deeply unconscious.

* * *

><p>Neville had succumbed to some severe spells too, and Hermione was the trio's only hope of escaping the Death Eaters. Continuous dueling had tired the three, and as usual, Hermione had come up with a plan.<p>

She was dueling two Death eaters together, a feat credited to only six students out of the many of Hogwarts. Ron and Luna were jointly dueling three. With much effort, With much effort, Hermione managed to distract her opponents (by conjuring a tiger who ran with joy after the two Death Eaters) and cried out, 'Revulso! Expulso! Repello!' The five cloaked figure went flying through the air as they were thrown back by the spells. Just then, Hermione shouted, 'RUN!'

As the next part of the plan, Hermione gathered the rest of her stamina and conjured two more wolves near the five Death Eaters. Before turning and following her friends, she created a cage, trapping the five wizards in a corner with three hungry man-eaters.

Together, Hermione and the other two levitated Neville (they barely had strength enough to lift him) and reached the basement instinctively. Hermione opened the door and closed it after her friends, re-activating the spell she had cast so long ago. She failed to notice the two previous occupants of the dungeon until Ron shouted –

'Mum, what happened to Ginny?'

'Ron, quiet please. Is Hermione with you?' Mrs. Weasley asked.

'Yes Mrs. Weasley, I am here,' said Hermione, stepping into the light of Molly's _Lumos__ Maxima_.

'Dear, do you know the Disintegration of Imbibed Diseases spell? It is the only fast way of reviving Ginny. And Neville too, it seems. I know it is professional Healing level, but I just thought maybe you -'

'I do know, Mrs. Weasley. Who would be acting as the third witch? Ah yes, Luna. Come and stand here please, Luna. Now, all I want you to do is stand here – no, in the center – and direct your wand at Ginny and Neville. In your mind, keep repeating "_Restorum__Totalum__"._ OK? I'll be the second witch, Mrs. Weasley, in case I go wrong. Ron, (whose mouth was hanging down with astonishment by then) you need to keep quiet and let us focus,' instructed Hermione.

With a mixed expression of amusement and amazement, Molly raised her wand and pointed it at Luna, as did Hermione. Whispering complicated incantations, they sent bright green and red jets of light at Luna respectively. Luna, in turn, was showering blue-green sparks all over Neville and Ginny.

In a matter of minutes, their eyes fluttered open and Hermione and Molly sat down, exhausted. Ginny, Neville and Ron had just been catching up when all of them froze. They stood up and raised their wands towards the door. They had heard banging on the door. Someone was trying to barge in.


	5. Many Helping Wands

**CHAPTER V – MANY HELPING WANDS**

They could hear a man's voice shouting outside. He was accompanied by atleast three more people with him; they could tell by the different voices.

'Hermione, open the door. Children, get ready,' said Molly in a grim tone.

'Yes. We are not going to hide,' said Hermione.

A second later, the lock clicked with Hermione's nonverbal spell. On both sides of the door, there was absolute silence. Then the door flew open –

'_Protego_!' yelled whoever was at the other side of the door, even as Molly and the others sent curses at them.

'WAIT!' A voice silenced them all. A voice that belonged to –

'Sirius! How come are you here?' Ron exclaimed.

'Your mother sent a Patronus. It reached us when we were flying over a village. Dumbledore told us to return immediately,' Sirius Black, the owner of the now half-crumbled house, replied.

'He has gone to fetch those who are at the Ministry,' said Remus Lupin, appearing in the reach of the magical light.

'Why were you hiding? We thought you'd be fighting,' growled Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody.

'We were, as much as we could. We only retreated when we were three to five, and _we're just students. _Not even fully qualified. Mum was amazing; she came here only when Ginny was hurt – but she had killed many of the Death Eaters by then,' said Ron heatedly.

'Hold your breath, Ron. No need to fight. Anyway, you are a bunch of exceptionally powerful _'students'_. As Alastor said, we found the house destroyed, but empty and silent, so we were very scared,' said Nymphadora Tonks, running to hug Molly.

As Hermione locked the door behind the newcomers, Sirius said, 'Let's get to work, Molly. Have any idea how many of them are still left?'

'Let's see,' interjected Hermione before Molly could answer. 'I invented this spell for similar situations. _Comptocorpus Rennervatus!_'

Surprising everyone, a bright golden-and-red 'twenty-four' appeared out of her wand. Hermione counted the group. Alastor Moody, Nymphadora Tonks, Molly Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Sirius Black, Luna Lovegood, Ronald Weasley, Remus Lupin and Ginny Weasley. Oh, and herself. A total of ten people on their side.

'So, my spell tells us the number of people conscious and standing within the periphery of a building. We are facing fourteen Death eaters,' she declared.

'Fourteen against ten. Easy enough,' said Sirius with a wink at Remus.

'You invented a spell for such a specific situation?' Moody asked.

'Well, yes. I believe it is always good to have a good idea of who you are facing,' replied Hermione, blushing.

'Let's move people. We have some fun on our to-do list tonight!' Tonks said with a grin.


	6. Tables Turned: The Battle Takes Flight

**CHAPTER VI – TABLES TURNED: THE BATTLE TAKES FLIGHT**

The Death Eaters ran from room to room in search of the Order. They were spread on the first and second floor in groups of three. It was real fun: trying to blast open every door, then failing, and the blasting the surrounding wall to gain entrance. The best part was the search itself: the search for a woman and five underage wizards (who incidentally, had killed more than fifteen of the Death Eaters so far), so that they could be tortured for information and killed by the Dark Lord.

After about half an hour of this purging of the house, many things happened at once: a door was heard opening and closing in the lower floors; the Death Eaters on the first floor let loose a battle cry; a minute later they were scampering off to their friends on the second floor; and behind them emerged ten firm-faced figures who spread out in the house.

Remus and Sirius, ever together, were in the kitchen. They were dueling three Death Eaters together, with ease. They sent spells of incredible force at their opponents. But this was very easy for them: they must have had been in several very tight spots in the last War, when their friends had been alive.

Near them, Molly was dueling another Death Eater with equal ease. Even though she had been fighting for several hours now, she didn't show a hint of fatigue. Instead, she had rejuvenated energy, perhaps gained by the reassuring sight of her friends from the Order.

Ron and Ginny had swiftly run up to the second floor to confront the four Death Eaters hiding up there. Neville, quick in analyzing the situation, had appeared behind them immediately and entered the duel. He was enjoying very much: he was with his friends against evil. His family would be proud. And that was something that had started happening only months ago. When he had fought in the Ministry: the Battle of the Enchanted Prison.

Luna and Tonks, meanwhile, were dueling any Death Eater they saw. It was fascinating how they managed to knock out any Death Eater in no more than two minutes. They were a great team, or so said Hermione. She was very tired and had been forced to sit down in one corner by the two. That didn't prevent the Death Eaters from advancing on her time and again, but she retaliated with such spells that they were left gravely hurt.

Mad-Eye, however, was in the thick of the Battle. Surrounded by atleast three Death eaters, he was shooting the most powerful spells one has seen, and shooting them fast. Really fast. Hermione reasoned that because many of these Death eaters were those who had escaped from Azkaban, and had been put in there by Moody himself in the first place, that would be why they were so keen to be the one to kill him. But Moody was immensely powerful, and he was managing absolutely fine.

After about ten minutes, a voice rang through the house. It was, apparently, the Death Eaters' group's leader. 'FLY AWAY WITH THE SERPENT!' He shouted as Neville and Ginny advanced on him with fierce looks. A sneer on every face, the Death Eaters promptly transformed into black wisps of smoke and light and flew out through the drawing room.

'After them!' Sirius shouted, pretending he was a General in a battle.

'Yes. We've got to teach them a lesson so they never turn up again,' said Ron.

'Actually, we need to kill all of them so that You-Know-Who doesn't find out the secrets of the Headquarters, including its location, you fool,' Moody scolded.

'Oh yes. Hurry everyone!' Molly said.

So out they flew, ten bright white jets of smoke, speeding towards the black ones, hardly visible against the jet-black sky.

As they gained on them, a shower of what seemed like lights was exchanged, and any Muggle looking at the sky would have thought of beautiful fireworks.

But these 'fireworks' did not stop. Up in the night sky, spells flew everywhere, as the forces of the Phoenix and the Serpent clashed in a vicious battle. As two spells hit two of the Death eaters, they suddenly transformed back into human forms, and the Stunned and Petrified figures fell though the air. The fall was fatal. The Order and the DA cheered.

Slowly, the Death Eaters' number began to lessen as they were killed. Not by a curse; nobody wanted to use any type of Killing Curse (I assume there are others than the Avada Kedavra) until it was essential. The Death Eaters were rather killed by the great 700 feet fall they had to experience once they were incapacitated. This was where the Battle ended.


	7. Epilogue

**EPILOGUE – THE CURTAIN DROPS: THE PHOENIX FLIES**

The party returned to 12, Grimmauld Place just in time so as not to give Albus, Arthur and Kingsley a heart attack. They had found the house empty and destroyed, and had been very worried with the wild possibilities until ten figures arrived home and resolved into their beloved friends (or, in Arthur's case, wife and children too).

They then launched a flaming giant phoenix into the sky, a trick developed from the Death Eaters' habit of shooting the Dark Mark over any area where they had gained a noteworthy victory. All of them watched as the great fiery figure flew here and there in the sky.

Ten days later, when Harry arrived at the Headquarters with Albus. He listened to their anecdote. After they had finished, he replied to the expectant faces by simply saying, 'I hate living in Privet Drive.'

Little did the six know that a year later, they would be still recovering from the after-shocks of the death of the greatest wizard by far, Albus Dumbledore, by the hands of his most faithful friend, Severus Snape.

For now, however, they were enjoying as varied versions of the **Battle of the Phœnix's Nest** spread in Hogwarts Castle like wildfire...


End file.
